Library Union Warns of Possible Work Stoppage On Sunday

CUPE Local 4948, the union that represents workers at Toronto Public Library, sent out a press release this afternoon warning the public that a work stoppage could close libraries citywide as early as Sunday. “The concessions faced by library workers in this round of negotiations are the most onerous in the history of the library,” Maureen O’Reilly, the union’s president, is quoted as saying in the release. The union’s main public bone of contention has been TPL’s increasing dependence on part-time workers, as opposed to full-time librarians. Though Sunday is the earliest day the union could legally strike (or be locked out), it’s also possible that Toronto’s libraries will stay open after that date, while the two sides continue to negotiate.